Joleen P. 2024 | BASIS Independent Fremont
- Project Title: Qigong Used for Insomnia Therapy in Menopausal Women
- BASIS Independent Advisor: Ms. Mariam Abodouma
- Internship Location: San Francisco State University
- Onsite Mentor: Wen-Wen Li
Menopause, a natural decline in reproductive hormones, occurs twelve months after a woman’s last menstrual cycle. Perhaps one of the most frustrating effects of menopause is insomnia, persistent problems falling and staying asleep. When this occurs, women often resort to pills or other products like antidepressants or melatonin medication to sleep. On the other hand, there are more natural approaches to improving sleep quality. In this project, I hope to uncover how Qigong, a form of exercise to optimize energy within the body, can reduce insomnia symptoms in menopausal women. Using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, participants will rate their sleep quality before and after performing Qigong twice daily for four weeks. With the help of Professor Li at SFSU, I will also conduct a 20-minute interview with each participant to measure their reaction to using Qigong and their ability to perform it successfully. My ultimate goal is to find how this form of self-treatment can provide a more productive and less labor-intensive approach to support menopausal women in managing insomnia. If proven effective, it may be utilized across many clinical settings to reach women who could use this form of self-support.